Sled



1. LEICHT, JR.

SLED.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9, 1920.

Patented Oct. 25, 1921.

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Aworking face with a UNITED stares PATENT ortica.

v:roHN LEICHT, JR., on BURLINGTON, IOWA.

SIDED.

To ail womz't may concern.'

'5 AThis invention relates to certain improvements 1n sleds, inventionto and it is an object of the provide y a novel and improved device ofthis general character .whereby the same be readily and convenientlypropelled by a pedal .extremity of the occupant of the sled.

- It is also an object vof the invention to pro- .vide a novel andimproved device of this general character embodying a plurality of.runners substantially longitudinally alined land each supportedfor'oscillating movement in a vertical path permitting the vehicle toeasily ride lover bumps faces;

It is also an object of the invention to proand irregular surlvide Yanovel and'improved sled embodying a novel and improved runner providedin its longitudinally disposed channel operating, by pressure on thesnow, to provide an effective guide groove operating` to materiallylessen the liability of lateral motion or skidding of the vehicle.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in thecombination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved sledwhereby certain important advantages areV attained and the devicerendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient andadvantageous for use, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitelyclaimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will nowproceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure l is a View inside elevationrwith a portion broken away of a sledconstructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention; f

Fig. 2 is a view in bottom plan of the structure illustrated in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on the line 3 3of Fig. l; and

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view Specification of Letters Patent.Y

Application filed February 9, 1920.

although,

Patented 40ct. 25, 1921. Serial No. 357,164.

'taken through the forward end portion of one ofthe runners as hereinincluded. p

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings, l denotes an elongated bar,preferably metallic, possessing a certain degree of inherent resiliency,to permit requisite lateral fiexure thereof to negotiate, when required,a desired steering of the vehicle when in transit.

P denotes a platform, preferably of wood, and which constitutes a footrest. Depending from substantially the transverse center of saidplatform P and adjacent to the opposite ends thereof are the brackets2having 4their lower end portions riveted -or otherwise substantiallypermanently secured to the bar l and whereby the platform P is slightlyspaced vertically with respect to the bar l. Depending lfrom the bar lat a point substantially midway of the brackets 2 are the transverselyspaced ears 3 between the lower or free end portions of which extend anupstan'ding ear 4.- carried by a runner R. VThe ears'3 and 4 arepivotally connected by the rivet 5 or the like. It is also to beparticularly noted that the ear el is positioned rearwardly of thelongitudinal center of the runner R and which arrangement has been foundin `practice tofacilitate in a more effective travel ofthe vehicle underall conditions, this exact location is not imperative.

Depending from the forward end portion of the bar l are the transverselyspaced ears 6 between which extends an ear 7 eX- tending upwardly fromsubstantially the longitudinal center of a second or front runner R. Theears 6 and 7 are pivotally connected by the rivet 8, or the like,whereby the runner R is also supported for oscillating movement in aVdirection toward the bar 1. Also pivotally engaged with the forward endportion of the bar l is an elongated handle member 9, preferably ofmetal, and which has adjustably engaged therewith the cross bar 10. Thebar 10 is adapted to be adjusted longitudinally of the handle member 9in accordance with the occasions of practice and particularly asnecessitated by the stature of the occupant of the vehicle.

In practice, lthe occupant of the vehicle rests the major portion of hisweight upon one foot positioned upon the platform P and propels thevehicle by his second foot or ually tially duplicate in construction.

Vder face of the runner. portions of each of the flanges 12 aregiadreduced in thickness in a forward div limb and the diiection oftravel of the veliicle may be readily controlled through theinstrumentality of a handle member 9 as through the medium of the handlemember 9, the forward portion of the bar 1 may be readily andconveniently flexed in a lateral direction due to the inherentresiliency of said bar 1. The runner R is substantially longitudinallyalined with the runner R. The runner R is also of a length materiallyless than the length of the runner R but otherwise the runners R and Rare substan- Each of the runners R and R has its forward end portion 11disposed upward on a predetermined curvature. The remainingor majorportion of each of the runners is straight and the longitudinal marginsof said straight portions are dened by the depending flanges 12, havingtheir inner faces substantially perpendicularly related tothe un- Theforward end said reduced portions of the flanges rection,

sides of the curved defining the opposite 1 portion 11 of the runnerand, in other words,

the forward end portions of the fianges 12 commence at'zero and increasegradually as tliefront curved portion 11 Vof the runner proceedsdownwardly until the resultant groove or channel afforded bythe flanges,.12 attains its full depth thus avoiding, in a largeineasure,retardationrrpby friction, and at the same time establishes bycompression of the snow a firmer track or guide of snow Ain the grooveor channel; of the runner and thereby materially lessening liability tolateral movement or skiddingi of the vehicle.

From. the foregoing description, it 4is thought 4.to be jobvious that asled constructed in. accordance with my invention is particularly welladapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which itmay be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that myinvention is susceptible of some change and modification withoutdeparting from the principles and spirit thereof, and for this reason Ido not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precisearrangement and formation ofthe several parts herein shown in carryingout my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

l claim j 1. A vehicle of the class described comprising an elongatedresilient bar, a platform supported by the rear end portion of tliebar,a handle member engaged with the forward end portion of the bar, andfore and aft runners secured to the opposite end portions of the bar andunderlying the same,

turniug'movement ofthe handle flexing the y i rearwardly of thelongitudinal center of Y said runner.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

JOHN LEICHT, JR.

